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SPICY BEEF NOODLE SOUP




Source of Recipe


Pho-Thang Restaurant


Recipe Introduction


Known as bun bo hue, this soup is a specialty from Hue, the ancient
capital of Vietnam in the center of the country. Bun refers to the
rice vermicelli; bo is beef. This dish makes a meal in a bowl with a
side salad of greens, cucumbers, carrots and fresh herbs with lime
wedges for squeezing into the soup. Shrimp paste and sauce are found
in Asian markets. The paste is in dried form in little blocks labeled
''belacan'' and tastes best toasted (Wrap it in foil and toast it
over a stove burner for a minute or two.) Shrimp sauce (mam ruoc is a
liquid version of shrimp paste.



List of Ingredients




1 1/2 pounds beef brisket
2 stalks lemongrass, one left whole and bruised, the other finely chopped
1 tablespoon shrimp paste or sauce
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
10 shallots, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
2 serrano chiles (preferably ripe and red), seeded and minced
1/4 cup culantro (saw-tooth herb) or cilantro, finely chopped
8 ounces rice noodles (preferably fat or wide)
4 scallions, finely sliced
1/2 cup bean sprouts
1/4 cup finely chopped mint leaves
2 limes, cut into wedges


Recipe



In a large soup pot, bring 8 cups of lightly salted water to a boil
over high heat. Add the brisket and the bruised lemon grass. Reduce
heat and simmer, covered, about 1 1/2 hours, until the meat is
tender. Save the stock but discard the lemon grass. Remove the
brisket. When it's cool enough to handle, cut it into 1-inch cubes
and set it aside.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the noodles.

Meanwhile, stir the shrimp paste into the cooking liquid in the pot
and season it to taste with salt and pepper.

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the shallots
and sauté until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the paprika, chiles
and chopped lemon grass and cook for a few more minutes. Add the
shallot mixture to the soup pot with most of the saw tooth herb;
reheat the stock, adding a little water if it's scant.

Set a colander over the sink. Drop the rice noodles into the boiling
water. After 10 or 15 seconds, drain them in the colander. Divide the
noodles among 4 large soup bowls and top with the brisket, scallions
and remaining saw tooth herb (or cilantro leaves). Pour on the hot
broth and serve with the bean sprouts, mint leaves and lime wedges.
Makes 4 servings.

Source: Adapted from The Food of Vietnam (Periplus, 1998).